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“In the College of Technology, it is not just about educating students in a given technology, but a desire to ensure that all graduates have a variety of business tools at their disposal. This was true in 1975 and still is today.”

Richard Price

Electrical Engineering Technology '73, MS '75

Richard Price

Electrical Engineering Technology '73, MS '75

Director of Business Continuance and Emergency Management and Middle East Operations for Verizon Business

Dick Price knew from a very young age that communications would be his career choice. His father was a radioman in the Navy during World War II. It was his father’s love for communications that led Dick to get involved with citizen band radios as a pre-teen. In a fifth-grade report describing career desires, Dick wrote that he wanted to go to Purdue and become an electrical engineer so that he could work with microwave communications equipment. Years later, he fulfilled that goal when he enrolled at Purdue and then after graduation joined MCI (Microwave Communications Incorporated).

Dick has been with MCI (now Verizon Business) for over 30 years. In his current position, he is responsible for planning, writing, coordinating, implementing, and overseeing the business continuance plans for the worldwide operations, engineering, and implementation organization. He is also charged with managing the National Emergency Coordinating Center (NECC) as well as the tactical response to all incidents involving hazardous materials, bio-terrorism, and major natural disaster events. In addition to identifying new worldwide business ventures, Dick oversees all operations in Iraq and the Middle East.

Dick and his wife, Mary, reside in Fairview, Texas with their children. He is a town council member and chief of the Fairview Fire and Rescue Department.

This was originally written for the Distinguished Technology Alumni Awards in 2006.